Die Nachbarn

“Die Nachbarn,” zooms in on the rise of xenophobia, or the fear of others that is escalating across Germany and Western Europe, telling the story of a neighbourhood whose equilibrium is disrupted, using Acrobatics and Mime Corporel to illustrate the change that occurs when fear gives way to connection. A two-person household moves in, bringing loud music, boisterous laughter, and renovation work. Next door lives a long-time resident deeply set in her routines, scared and fearful of her new neighbours. A tense dynamic emerges, hovering between proximity and rejection. Yet, over time, the parties grow closer. Although their coexistence is not without conflict, they manage to get along and, ultimately, realize they need one another. This fragile evolution, from confrontation to coexistence and, ultimately, mutual support, forms the heart of our project.

Each artist’s specialization becomes character. Floor acrobatics and duo hand-to-hand give the newcomers their restless, boundary-testing energy; tumbling and partner acrobatics embody their bond and trust. Handstands and balance, set in rigid, repetitive choreography, chart the neighbor’s structured control giving way to risk. Mime Corporel and clown voice her suspicion, fear, and softening, wordlessly. By melding these skill sets into a shared physical language, the body speaks challenge, growth, and acceptance in ways text cannot, pulling the audience into a physical tale that impresses the mind and touches the heart.